Warming to the Potter Charm
by Paloma Latina
Summary: Lily and James. It all started with a kiss...after that it's history [Challenge set by Cuba, a very silly story].


**Written for a challenge set by **_**Cuban Sombrero Gal**_**. I'll put the actual challenge at the end of the story. Don't want to spoil the surprise!**

* * *

It had been their first kiss. Neither of them had expected it, it had just...happened – much to Lily's dismay, actually. If those damned first years hadn't of created a fuss in the second floor corridor, she wouldn't have taken the detour on her way down to the Great Hall. In fact, if those first years had never turned up at the start of the year, she wouldn't be in this 'mess'. Right now, she was sprinting away from Potter as fast as she could. How dare he kiss her! He could have at least asked.

"Lily?" a familiar voiced asked as she rushed past.

Lily skidded to a halt and walked back to the source of the voice. Her best friend, Mikayla Jones, was starring worryingly at her through her fringe. Lily looked up at her friend and sighed.

"Sorry, Mikayla, I'm not in a good mood just now."

Mikayla nodded. "I can tell. Lily, who exactly are you running from?"

Lily frowned. "What makes you think I'm running from somebody? I could be running to the toilet for all you know!"

Mikayla sighed and pulled her down the corridor by her sleeve. "You have the 'I Hate Potter' look on your face. You only ever use that when he's done something bad to you or some helpless second year."

Lily looked at the floor as she walked, cursing her facial expressions. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but she didn't want Mikayla to know what had just happened, for some reason. She suspected that it was because Mikayla would start choking if she found out. But, to tell you the truth, Lily didn't want her friend to know because...well...she had _enjoyed_ it. Not that she would admit to it any time soon.

"Oh, he just started being himself, again."

Mikayla wasn't fooled by her lies. "And why, may I ask, would that cause you to head for the hills rather than curse his legs off?"

Lily swallowed. "Because...a teacher was coming and...I didn't want to get caught because...I'm a Prefect..." she explained slowly.

Mikayla scowled. "And you'd think running away would make the Professor's any less suspicious?"

Lily nodded. "Well, I don't think they had seen me yet."

"Mmhmmm...and what teacher are we talking about here?"

"Professor Flitwick."

"Right, and how could he possibly be there when I was just talking to him in his office, barely seconds before you ran past?"

Lily thought hard. "Because it was Professor Dumbledore coming, not Professor Flitwick."

Mikayla sighed as they climbed the staircase before the Gryffindor Portrait Hole. "Lily, I know you don't want to tell me what happened, because you just keep feeding me lies."

Lily opened her mouth to interrupt but Mikayla beat her to it.

"I know we are best friends, so I'm going to respect your privacy. All I ask is that you tell me before we are old and wrinkly, okay?"

Lily nodded as they climbed into the Common Room. "I promise."

Mikayla smiled. "Alright." She started walking towards the dorms. "Well, I need my beauty sleep. 'Night!"

Lily smiled back as she retreated up the stairs. "'Night!"

* * *

James was shocked. Actually, he was beyond shock. He was more in a state of serious hysterics than anything. Why had he done it? Why? He reached a hand up to his head and ruffled his black hair, making a passing girl almost topple into a nearby wall. He sighed and rubbed his face with his hands.

"YOU IDIOT!" he yelled to himself and punched the wall.

The girl fell over and crawled away, slightly worried for both his sanity and her heart rate. James groaned and slid down the doorframe to the floor where he immediately took up the foetal position and threw his arms up over his head. He stayed like this on the cold, stone floor until he heard approaching footsteps and took the liberty of peeking through his fingers to see Remus Lupin crouch down next to him.

"You know," Remus started, "If I had a camera right now, I would _so_ take a picture of you and your newly found pastime."

"What are you talking about, Moony?" James asked grumpily as he sat up slowly.

"You've been lying here for about an hour and a quarter now."

James groaned. "It felt like longer."

Remus rolled his eyes. "The Marauder's Map never lies and Sirius has been watching you for a long time now."

"What did he do that for?" James questioned as he pulled himself back onto his feet.

Remus shrugged and prodded his friend in the back until he was walking towards the dorms. "Nothing better to do? No idea. Ask him, not me."

James and Remus walked to the Gryffindor Common Room quietly. Once they had reached the warmth of the fire, they both fell into chairs. Remus, who was spread across a red lounge and already had a book out, frowned at James when he tried to kick a fourth year off the comfiest armchair.

"James, don't, mate."

He frowned. "I'm Quiddich Captain. I can do whatever I want."

After much pocking, kicking, punching and yelling, the stubborn fourth year reluctantly stood up out of the chair and trudged over to a different, less comfortable, chair and shot a glare at the older boy who was smiling in triumph.

"James, apologise!" Remus scolded as he frowned at his friend.

"Make me!" James replied cockily and turned back to the chair...

Only to find Sirius was already sitting in it, playing with a stray quill. "Hey, Prongs! Stopped crying, have you?"

James opened his mouth wide in shock. "I was NOT crying, Padfoot. And that's my seat!"

Sirius raised his eyebrows. "Who says?"

"I say!" James yelled. "I was here first!"

Sirius sighed and tumbled off the armchair onto the floor. He waited until James had sat down and he had crawled to the other side of the lounge before saying anything. "Whatever you say, cry-baby."

The brawl that followed was..._not_ pretty.

* * *

As Lily lay down in the Gryffindor Girl's Dorm in her bed that night, all she could think about was the kiss. Mainly how it was so unexpected. She had just been coming around the corner, bumped into him, and BAM! It just...happened.

* * *

As James lay down in a Hospital Wing bed that night, all he could think about was the kiss.

And why he hadn't done it sooner...

* * *

**Dedicated to my tissue box, who hears all about my daily problems and why my life is so horrible. It may not be able to talk back, but I know It's always listening. And to Cuba: Thanks for the challenge.**


End file.
